Pictures
by Vallygirl
Summary: Jericho, It's Mimi's first Thanksgiving in Jericho and Stanley helps her to cope.


1Title: Pictures

Author: Val

Email: S/M

Rating: Teen

Summary: Thanksgiving at the Richmond's house.

Disclaimer: Nope don't own them, just borrowing them.

Mimi closed her eyes as she stood in the doorway and watched as Stanley and Bonnie worked together. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw that Stanley was watching her closely.

"Hey, you want to give us a hand. I mean you did help organized the kitchen and you were the one to introduce us to "the triangle" and I have to admit sink, stove, prep really does work, huh Bonnie."

The younger Richmond rolled her eyes at her brother before turning her attention back to Mimi. "We have everything under control, we don't need your help."

"Of course you don't," Mimi said as she gave Bonnie as force smile. "I'll leave you two alone," she murmured as she turned and headed into the living room.

Stanley tapped Bonnie on her shoulder to get her attention. "Go apologize," he told her.

Bonnie shook her head and argued, "why should I? Why is she still here anyway?"

Sighing Stanley wiped his hands on a dishtowel. "She's here because her home is gone Bonnie. Washington DC is gone, her family is gone. It's Thanksgiving and we at least have each other but she has nobody and you just told her that she wasn't needed."

Bonnie ducked her head, a faint blushed tainted her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

Reaching out he cupped his sister's chin and gently forced her to look up so she could read his lips, "I'm not the one you need to apologize to."

Nodding her head in agreement she wiped her hands on her apron before going into the living room to talk to Mimi. She saw the older woman sitting on the couch, holding her baby album on her lap. Slowly she walked over and sat down next to Mimi.

"Stanley sent you out her to apologize huh," Mimi said as she turned her attention to the younger of the Richmond siblings.

"I'm sorry," Bonnie told their houseguest.

The older woman shrugged her shoulders, "forget it." She flipped open the book in her hand and came across a picture of a teenage boy holding an infant, a goofy grin across his face. "Is that Stanley holding you?"

Bonnie looked at the picture that Mimi was pointing at and giggled. "Yup, that was the day my parents brought me home and it was the year of 'the mullet' as you can see."

Mimi chuckled at the younger woman's comment because Stanley Richmond was definitely sporting a mullet that Billy Ray Cyrus would have been envious of. "My brother had one too, a mullet. They were pretty popular."

"You have a brother?" Bonnie asked, clearly surprised by this development.

Mimi nodded her head, "he's two years younger than me. He and his wife are..I mean were...they were expecting their first baby." Mimi reached down and retrieved her purse, pulling out a small picture and holding it out for Bonnie. "That was from the last ultrasound, it was a girl."

"They were in DC?" The younger woman asked.

"Arlington, they bought their house to be close to my Mom," she explained as her fingers traced the outline of the baby. Sniffling she held the book out to Bonnie. "You're lucky to have these, this is the only picture I have of my family." She said, laughing bitterly. "I always thought it was foolish to carry pictures but now...now I wish I had.

"I'm sorry," Bonnie said as she took the book back.

"No...no" Mimi said as she gingerly placed the ultrasound photo on the coffee table. "I didn't mean to ruin your holiday," she said as she stood up. "You know what, I'm going to walk into town. You and Stanley have a nice dinner, alright," she said hurriedly before grabbing her purse and jacket and rushing out the front door.

Bonnie stared at her retreating form and quickly turned to look out the window and watch as Mimi hurried down their walkway. Getting up quickly she went into the kitchen to talk to her brother.

Stanley snapped closed his down vest as he headed out in the same direction as his houseguest. To say he was shocked by what his sister said was an understatement. He just assumed that Mimi was an only child and that bother her parents were probable gone. That was far from the truth though and he wasn't going to let her wander into town to spend Thanksgiving by herself.

He was a mile away from his house when he saw her sitting underneath a tree, her knees drawn up with her faced hidden behind her hands, her body shaking as she sobbed. He stood there for a few seconds afraid that she wouldn't want him there with her.

"Mimi," he called out as he joined her.

Sniffling she wiped at her tears. "What are you doing here?

"Come on," he urged her as he held out his hand to help her up.

"I can't, ok. I can't pretend that it's just another Thanksgiving."

"And I can't leave you out here like this either. Please Mimi, let's just go home."

"Don't you get it, I don't have a home." She argued.

Squatting down so that they were at eye level he reached out and touched her shoulder. "Mimi," he whispered as his hand traveled up to gently caress the back of her neck.

Looking up she stared into his blue eyes shook her head as she saw the hope there. "No...no...no...no. That can never happen. We would kill each other. You don't even like me and your sister really hates me and..."

Mimi's rant was cut off as Stanley silenced her with a kiss that started out tender but soon grew into something more and both were clinging to each other. Finally they pulled apart as the need for air became necessary.

Stanley smirked when Mimi reached out and slapped him on the shoulder and called him a jerk. Grinning he took her hand in his and started to stand up, pulling her up with him. "That's not the usual reaction I get from a woman when I kiss her."

Mimi's eyes narrowed as she brushed the seat of her pants, her hand smacking away Stanley's who looked oh so anxious to help with that particular chore. "Maybe I didn't want you to kiss me, did you ever think of that," she huffed.

"So you didn't want me to kiss you, is that what you're saying?"

Rolling her eyes she started to power walk back towards the Richmond farm. "Yes...no...uggghhh!" She shouted as she stopped suddenly and spun around to face her tormentor. "You are the biggest jerk and wipe that grin off your face. Maybe...maybe I wanted to kiss you," she admitted as she found herself smiling. "So what took you so long anyway. I mean I was starting to wonder if there wasn't something more going on with you and Jake on those hunting trips."

Stanley gave her another shrug as he began walking. "Well there was that one time that we were camping and Jake said it was just to stay warm. I've never told anyone about it though because...because he left me and I didn't see him again for five years. I felt so cheap," he finished with a fake sob.

Mimi couldn't help the eruption of giggles. "How very Brokeback Mountain of you two."

"Movie was based on us," he told her with a perfectly straight face.

"You're sick," she teased as they continued to walk together. She looked down when she felt Stanley's fingers brushing against her own and accepted the gesture and let their digits intertwine together, racking her brain to think of the last time she actually held hands with a man. It was just so old fashion, so...so Stanley.

They continued walking in silence until they stood at the steps to the familiar yellow house. Stanley turned and looked at Mimi, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Just take it one step at a time, ok."

Nodding her head quickly she followed him up the stairs and into the house, his home...their home. Bonnie was sitting on the couch waiting for them and jumped up when she saw them walk in. Sighing Mimi close the distance between her and the younger woman.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you Bonnie, I didn't mean to." Mimi apologized.

"I'm glad you came back."

Stanley smiled at his younger sister and signed 'thank you'. "Smells like the chicken is done. I think it's almost time for dinner," he said as he started to walk towards the kitchen.

Mimi went to put her bag down on the couch and noticed that the ultrasound picture she had left on the table was gone. "What happened to my picture?"

Bonnie blushed slight as she lifted her hand up to point to the mantle behind Stanley. "I took out the picture of Stanley taking me trick or treating when I was eight and put your picture in the frame."

Mimi turned and looked where Bonnie was pointing and raised her hand to her mouth. "Oh my God," she murmured as she walked over to the mantle and ran her finger across the frame. Turning she gave Bonnie a watery smile. "Thank you," she whispered.

Bonnie returned Mimi's smile. "You're welcome," she signed. Backing up slightly she pointed behind her. "I need to finished setting the table," she said as she left to give Mimi some privacy.

Mimi watched as Bonnie left them before turning back to look at the picture again and shook her head in disbelief. She looked over to Stanley and asked, "would you teach me?"

"Teach you..." he repeated in confusion.

"To sign," she explained as she watched Bonnie in the other the room.

"Are you sure?" He asked as he placed his hands on her shoulders both knowing he wasn't just asking about him teaching her how to sign.

Turning her head slightly to look at the picture that Bonnie had placed in the frame. "Yeah I am," she told him before turning around and gazing into his eyes. "I'm more than sure," she told him, knowing that she had never been more certain of anything in her life.

The End


End file.
